By M.G. Bueno
Joh 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
JOHN 8(32) And ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.
We define truth as the body of real things, events and facts. Truth is sincerity, in action, character and utterance. We are living in the world, where lie and deceit have more influence on people rather than the truth. We see politicians caught lying on TV, and on the radio and not blush about it. Worst yet, you hear even so called preachers preaching hatred and lies, which makes us realize that not everyone who calls themselves a preacher is a true preacher of the gospel, because their very words tells us so. The bible even admonish us to test the spirit of their message; we have to test their way of life, whether it’s according to the word of God or not. And all around us, we can see the rise of perverted so called philosophies, doctrines and values that utterly disregards the truth, particularly the word of God. It is no wonder why people are embracing ungodliness, immorality and atheism.
ROMANS 1(23-25) They changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. And they changed the truth of God into a lie and serve the creature more than the creator.
People try to change God, and try to fit God in their carnal way of life, and thinking. But people ought to be the ones who need to change and live their life to reflect what’s written in God’s word. God is a God who will never change nor go against his word. You can make the word of God say what you want it to say, but the word of God is already settled in heaven, that means that the word of God is as settled as is the sky above us, it’s as eternal as God is eternal, so that the word of God is immutable, which means that it will never change nor pass away. It is God alone who made the rules and not us. He owns all of creation, therefore God should have preeminence in every living creation to include man who was made in his own image. And sometimes, people don’t want to hear the word of God, because it’s rubbing them the wrong way, when in actuality God is rubbing us the right way, we just need to turn and change position, that is to repent from our sin, and quit rebelling against his word and against the conviction of his Holy Spirit.
People try to change the interepretation of God’s word, or they erroneously interprete God’s Word, to their own destruction. But perhaps, there are those who were just ignorant of God’s word, and has a clouded idea of God’s plan upon man, and cannot discern whether their understanding of God’s Word is right or wrong. This is one of the many reasons why there are so many different interpretations and versions of the Bible. Sometimes you see it in church services. A preacher may preach one thing, but it’s interepreted to many different versions of interpretations among the congregation. Therefore, it is needful for the hearer to ask himself the question, is my interpretation of God’s word leading me closer to God? Is it keeping me away from sin? Is my understanding of the word of God going to make my relationship with God and the people of God better, Or is it going to make it worst. Is my interpretation of God’s Word going to please God according to his word? Another way that we can use to discern the right interepretation of the Word of God is to ask ourselves, is it within the boundaries of the rules of faith, or is it within the fundamental teachings of faith in the Bible.
People say they read the word of God, and they pray, and they do all these things, but they were never closer to God. And if they were closer to anything at all, they were closer to the world than to God. Why? It’s because they have the wrong understanding of God’s word. It reminds me of the fig tree which Jesus saw, that was covered with leaves, but not one fruit can be found. People have a lot of knowledge but that knowledge is not getting them any closer to God and to the things of God. The word of God doesn’t have effect in them because, it’s not mixed with faith in them.
“Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.
1Co 8:2 And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know.
1Co 8:3 But if any man love God, the same is known of him.
Instead of just having a bible knowledge and a knowledge about God, instead of parading what we know about God and try to impress people about it, why don’t we start loving God for a change and really have a relationship with him. And if we love God, the bible said, then we are known of God. In the book of
Mat 7:22 Jesus said, Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
In these verses Jesus Christ prophesied that there are going to be people who will call him Lord, lord, and they even prophesy, and cast out devils in his name, and did many miracles in his name. But the Lord said, I never knew you, depart from me ye that work iniquity. These are those people who never really have a relationship with the Lord. Those who did works for the Lord but they didn’t really have a love for the Lord. Perhaps, they were doing their so called works for God grudgingly. They were not really doing it for the love of God. Because the Bible said that if anyman love God, then he is known also of God. And Jesus said to these impostors, “I never knew you, depart from me, ye that work iniquity. The only way that we can be known of God is by loving God. What a sad edict to those who thought that having a knowledge of God and doing things for God is good enough and not have a true love relationship with God. They prophesied and did miracles in the name of God, yet they did it, not because they love God but for gain and to make merchandise of people. And the Lord told them to depart from him, and he told them, I never knew you, and called them workers of iniquity. Do you really love God? If anyman love God, the same is known of him. God knows the people who really loved him, because they have that relationship with him. If you really love someone, you make time for them, and you want to be around them. Love is an action word. Jesus also said, “If you love me, obey my commandments.” How’s your relationship with God? Do you want to have a love relationship with God? Do you even read his word or believe what he said in the Bible? Do you believe the Bible is truly the word of God?
In 2 Peter 1(19-21)
2Pe 1:19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed (or listen carefully or pay attention), as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
2Pe 1:20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
2Pe 1:21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
Peter was sure that the word of God did not originate from man. It’s not just a fruit of his own imagination. It’s not something that he concocted in his mind. It’s totally outside the will of man. The Bible has words written which truly originated from God, but at the same time they were written by men, and not just any men, but holy men, men who were separated by God for his will and purpose, who were godly, but most of all, who were under the influence of the Holy Ghost. Therefore, the word in the holy Scriptures is under the influence of God, and it influences people to love God and to love their fellowmen as themselves. There are people who are under some kind of influence, but not of God. But it’s the influence that would cause them to commit sin against God and commit crime against their fellowmen, and against themselves. An influence that’s leading them to sorrow and disappointments, the influence of drugs, alcohol and peer pressure, and deceit and rebellion.
What’s influencing us? what’s movng us, or driving us to do the things that we do. Here in our Bible reading it tells us that the scriptures were written by holy men of God under the influence of the Holy Ghost. They were moved by the Holy Ghost as they spoke the word of God, and as they write the word of God. And so the word of God is Holy. And God who spoke his word is Holy and the Holy Ghost is holy. That's why the Bible is Holy. And if we read and live the Holy Bible then we live a holy life. And live under the influence of the Holy Bible, under the influence of the word of God, under the influence of the Holy Ghost. The word of God, has power to influence people to do the right thing, and to put things in order in their lives. It gives power to fight sin and be victorious over sin by the Holy Ghost. But more importantly, it points us to a God, who wants to have a love relationship with man whom he created in his own image.
Paul said, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth.”
II. JOHN 8:32).Jesus said, And ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.”
God wants to set you free by his truth. The truth of God’s word has the power the set people free. From what? it sets people free from deceit ,lies and from any knowledge that exalt itself against the word of God. The word of God will set people free from sin. And the truth is that Jesus came to the world to save men and women from their sin. Jesus said I came to seek and to save that which was lost. The word of God serves as map. It shows us the right way, it will put us back in the right track that leads to Jesus Christ. Jesus said I am the way, the truth and the life. The Bible said That his name shall be called Jesus, for he shall saved his people from their sin.. Jesus will pull you out of sin to where it could no longer affect you. And that means that Jesus saves us to the uttermost from sin, unless we walk back into sin. The Bible said, that the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life. Jesus Christ put all of the sins of the world upon himself. And the Bible said, that He himself became sin for us so that while dying on the cross, God the Father could not even look at him. The Father turned his face from him. Jesus Christ was forsaken by God the Father on the cross because of the sin of the whole world that was placed upon him. The bible said that, Jesus cried to the Father, My God, my God, why has thou forsaken me? Jesus was separated at that moment from fellowship with God the Father because of the sins of the world upon him. People are separated from God because of sin. A person cannot have fellowship with God because of sin in his life.
But God is calling everyone saying,
Isa 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
We see in these verses, that God is not a mean God, which is contrary to what many believe. He’s calling us, inviting us to come to him. If we have sin in our life that’s been troubling us, that’s making our life miserable, God has remedy for it. God can wash your sins white as snow thru the blood of his Son Jesus Christ who died on the cross for you. And he will not only wash away the sins which you have committed but also the desires that influence you to commit sin, he will get rid of that nature inside of you that wants to sin, and then replace it with the desire to love God and your fellowmen. The Bible said, that God commendeth his love toward us, that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. Do you realize that Christ died for you while you were still sinning, doing the things which is not pleasing to God. That’s how God loves you. The fact that you are a sinner did not change his love for you, and he wants to save you from the sin that’s killing you.
For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting life.” God so love the world that he made a way for everyone to be saved from sin. Yet the whole world is not saved. Why? Because not everyone receive the invitation of God to be save. Not everyone receive Jesus Christ who is the only way to salvation for the souls of men and women from sin.
The Bible said, “Joh 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
Salvation is made available to you by God, and he’s giving it to whoever wants to receive it.
Act 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
All you have to do is invite Jesus to come into your heart, and cleanse you from sin by his blood, and allow him to live in your heart, and change your life, and make you a new creature in God.
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